Lifetime original movies come in a few different varieties, from the heartfelt and sincere to the fabulously blunt and hilarious. This fits into a third category, a middle ground where the titles are unquestionably over the top to one extent or another, but still suitably enjoyable on their own merits. The writing team fits almost every common trope and plot idea of the network's thrillers into these 90 minutes: domestic violence, an expectant mother down on her luck, the well-to-do folks whose sweet exterior masks more sinister designs - why, all this is foretold in the very premise! - and more. In addition to violence that arguably exceeds the usual for this feature's brethren, further thematic content helps to cement the emphatically dark air, as the course of events reflects the direly bleak reality of pregnant people being violently robbed of their bodily autonomy. Of course, this film isn't the first rendition of these ideas, and the confluence of them all does somewhat test suspension of disbelief. Yet it's honestly more well made and compelling than one would assume of Lifetime - 'Dying for motherhood' isn't an essential must-see, but all things considered it's surprisingly solid.
Even with all the notions thrown together here, the writing is better than not. The narrative is a tad smarter than one tends to give Lifetime credit for, and the scene writing is actually pretty sharp. Director Damián Romay gets some swell takes that heighten the tension and sense of danger in the story - and of course the cast deserve notice, too. Everyone here turns in performances that are gratifyingly tight, characterized by strength of personality, forcefulness, and nuanced range that makes the figures pop to life. In his smaller supporting part, Daniel Contois is decidedly vicious as the protagonist's abusive lover, lending a strong measure of verisimilitude to the tale. Hannah Bamberg ably navigates the hurt innocence, warm kindness, and steady determination of protagonist Tracy. More noteworthy still, Emmanuelle Vaugier commands an imposing presence as Genevieve, elevating a fairly standard network antagonist to a level of malice that feels distinctly more immediate and wicked. Well done, all!
I also quite like Chanda Dancy's music, which at its worst is average TV movie thriller fare, but which at its best is wonderfully intelligent and dynamic, lending to the grim air about the feature. Hernan Herrera's cinematography is rich and crisp, as is Brett Solem's editing; the blood effects look great, as does the costume design, and hair and makeup work. 'Dying for motherhood' is finely executed from a technical standpoint, and despite all the possible disadvantages, overall it rather exceeded my expectations. This isn't to say that it's perfect, though, for unfortunately the climax and ending seem forced and contrived. It almost feels as though the writers couldn't agree on the best way to resolve the plot, and what we got was a backup plan, a placeholder, that ended up in the shooting script. This aspect of the picture isn't bad - it's done well, such as it is - only, compared to all that precedes these last several minutes, the disparity is a bit glaring.
Save for the climax and ending, I was prepared to hold this in still higher regard than I do. Even with this regrettable setback in mind, however - and certainly recognizing the hearty suspension of disbelief that is required for the amalgamation of all herein - I quite like 'Dying for motherhood.' It has its problems, but it has earnest value, too, with the acting, direction, music, and (most of the) writing standing out. True, anyone who isn't receptive to Lifetime movies won't find anything in this one to change their mind, and given the nature of some of the story, a content warning is necessary for those with a history of trauma. But there was real, careful work put into the production, and the labor shows through. Don't go out of your way to see it, but if you happen upon 'Dying for motherhood,' it's a decent way to spend 90 minutes.
